Squirt guard for type casting apparatus



Aug. 4, 95 J. N. BONKRUD SQUIRT GUARD FOR TYPE CASTING APPARATUS s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 9, 1948 FIGBL FIG. 2.

Aug. 14, 1951 Filed July 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14, 1951 J. N. BONKRUD 2,564,418

I SQUIRT GUARD FOR TYPE CASTING APPARATUS Filed July 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 5.

FIG.6.

Patented Aug. 14, 195i s UIRu GU RD FOR TYPE CASTiNG APPARATUS Joel N. Bonkrud, Pine Lawn, Mo. Application July 9, 1948, Serial No. 37,739

1 2 Claims.

This invention relates to squirt guards for type casting apparatus, more particularly to such guards for use upon Linotype and Intertype machines to protect the operator from squirts of molten type metal.

Among the several objectsof the invention maybe noted the provision of an improved. squirt guard for ready attachment to. existing Lino type and Intertype machines to protect the. op.- erator from front and back squirts of molten type metal; the provision of a squirt guard of the class described adapted toaltord the operator complete protection from squirts; without interfering with any operations he may wish to perform; the provision of a guard of: this class adapted to fit tightly over the matrices and spacebands during the casting operation whether they are in high or low position; the provision of a guard:.,;of this class affording protection during the casting of a blank line; theprovision of a guard of this class adapted to remain immovably. in protective position. during the backward movement of the pot of the machinev for the. second justification to avoid disconcerting the operator; and the provision. of a guard such as described which is of simple, economical-construction and readily. disassembled for cleaning purposes. Other objects will be in part apparent and. in part pointed. out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of. elements, features of construction, and arrangements; of parts. which will. be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described. and the scope of the. application of which will be. indicated. in the following. claims.

Inthe accompanying drawings, in which. one of various. possible embodiments of the invention, is illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspectiveview of a Linotype machine having a. squirt. guard of. this invention, attached thereto, the. mold disk of the machine being illustrated as pulled forward;

Fig. 2 is a left-end. elevation of; theguard' with itshood in retracted position, parts of the Linotype machine bein shown, fragmentarily... in section;

Fig. 3 isaview similar to ,Fig. 2-but showing h o n p e n sit q a.

Fig. 4 is a; vertical section through the Linoype ine. u rati e elation of the uar o t of he m ine. the uard. ein shown in verticalsection;

F a l e of t e euardrer se with its hood retracted;

Fig. 6 is afront elevation of- Fig. 5; and,

Fig. '7 is, a horizontal section. taken: on line 7.-1 of Fig. '3.

Similar reference characters indicate cor-responding parts throughoutthe several viewsof the drawings.

eferri t w he rawin s. the e sshown at I (Fig. 1), a portion oftheframe;oi;a; conven tional Linotype machine which extends hori:

zontall-y above the mold disk 3 of the machine. The mold disk 3 carries molds 5 for the usual matrices I and spacebands 9 (Fig. 4) delivered into molding position with respect to a selected mold 5 by the so-calledfirst-elevatorjaw ll of the first elevator E3 of the machine, as will be readily understood by those familiar with these machines. At I5 is shcwn the vise justification block of the machine for justifying the line of type in the first-elevator jaw between the usual vise jaws of the machine (not shown).

At I! is shown the pot of the machine for containing molten type metal. pot is mounted for swinging movement toward and away from the mold disk 3 on legs I!) pivoted at 2! to. the frame of the machine. A plunger 23 works in a well 25- in the pot for driving molten type metal through a throat 21 leading from the lower end of the-well and through apertures in a mouthpiece 29 into the mold 5 and against the matrices to cast a slug of type. It will be understood that in the operation of the machine the pot is automatically moved from a retracted position toward the mold disk to engage the mouthpiece 29 against the mold and matrices, making a face alignment, is then withdrawn slightly for alignment and second justification, then again moved forward against the mold for the casting operation, at which time the plunger 23 is automatically actuated to deliver type metal to the mold, and is then retracted. The pot is provided with a lid 3| held in place by screws 33.

Squirts of molten type metal, dangerous to the Linotype operator without asafety guard, may" occur during the casting operation for any one of several reasons, principally because of improper lock-up of the pot against the mold, the mold against the matrices, or of the matrices and spacebands in the mold. The latter condition may occur, for example, when matrices or spacebands become worn or damaged, with resultant occurrence of spaces between adjacent matrices and spacebands in the mold. The squirt guard of this invention, generally designated 35, is adapted to protect the Linotype operator from any squirt which may occur, such as a front squirt of'molten metal upward from between inadvertently spaced-apart adjacent matrices in the mold, or a back squirt upwardfrom between the-mouthpiece and the mold.

The guard 35 is shown generally to comprise a hood 3'! pivoted to the lower margin of a generally C-shaped shield 39 and adapted to swing between a retracted position within the shield (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6) and an operative position over the assembly of matrices and bands in casting position (Figs. 3, 4 and 7). The shield 39, as illustrated, is bent from a sheet metal plate to have a vertical flange 4| for attachment to the frame of the Linotype machine, a horizontal upper wall 43 extending rearward from the lower margin of the flange, and a curved rearward wall 45 which curves downward and forward from the rearward margin of the horizontal wall, thereby providing a recess 41 for the hood 31. v,

The guard 35 is installed on the Linotype machine replacing the usual standard fiat shield plate above the mold disk. For this purpose, the flange 4| is provided with three screw holes 49 spaced in accordance with the customary spacing of the screw holes for the standard shield. The shield 39 is secured by screws extending through these holes to the arm 53 of the machine which extends horizontally over the mold disk, with recess 41 opening forward. The horizontal upper wall 43 of the shield extends rearward under the arm 53, and the rearward wall 45 of the shield curves downward and forward with its lower edge approximately at the position of the lower edge of the standard shield which it replaces.

The hood 31 comprises an open-bottomed sheet metal housing having a front wall 55, a top wall therefrom through the slot 85 is a screw 95. A lock nut 91 threaded on the screw against the end of the clevis holds the screw in adjusted position. At 99 is shown a resilient post having an 51, a rear wall 59, and end walls SI and 63. The

height of .the rear wall 59 is less than that of the front wall 55. A flange 65 extends rearward from the lower margin of the rear wall 59. The hood is detachably pivoted to the lower margin of the shield 39 by means of a pair of hinges 61, having hinge leaves 69 secured upon the flange 65 and hinge leavs ll secured to the lower margin of the shield within recess 41. tends removably through the eyes of the hinge leaves.- This pin has one of its ends bent back to form .a resilient latch portion 15 extending over the eyes of one of the hinges and provided at its end with an inturned latch finger 'l'l en- .gageable with the inner end eye of this hinge to prevent the pin from sliding out of the hinge eyes. By springing back the latch 75 to disengage the finger H from the hinge eye, the pin may be axially withdrawn to detach the hood from the shield.

The above-described arrangement is such that the hood is swingable into and out of the shield on an axis substantially coincident with the lower edge of the shield. The retracted position of the hood within the shield is determined by engagement of its top wall 5? with a stop bolt- 19 adjustably fixed in the rearward wall 45 of the shield. The hood may pivot out of the shield until the lower margin of its front wall 55 engages the upper surface of the elevator jaw H, with the hood overlying the line of matrices and spacebands in casting position. The hood is of sufficient height to accommodate all spacebands including those which may be upwardly extended to'their ultimate upward limit for justiiication.

The hood 3? is adapted automatically to be moved into squirt-guarding position in response to movement of the pot ll toward the mold disk 3 to casting position, and to be returned to its retracted position within the shield 39 upon retraction of the pot. For this purpose, the hood is provided with a lost-motion spring actuator linkage, generally designated 8 I for actuating the hood from the pot. As shown, linkage 8| in cludes a link 83 pivotally connected to the hood at the left-hand end of the latter (as viewed from the front of the machine), and extending rearward from the hood through a vertically elongate slot in the shield 39. The link 83 comprises a socket in the form of a clevis 81 pivoted at 89 to a finger ill bent from the end of a bar 93 which lies upon the flange 55hr the hood underlying hinge leaves 69. Adjustably and removably threaded in the clevis and extending rearward A hinge pin 13 exear Nil extending laterally from its upper end, and a foot I03 at its lower end for attachment to the pot H. The post is slidable on the screw 95, the latter extending loosely through an aperture in the ear. A compression spring I05 surrounds the screw and is compressed between the abutment provided by lock nut 91 and the ear II]! to bias the latter against the head of the screw.

The post is attached to the pot ll of the Linotype machine by means of one of the screws 33 which holds the lid of the pot in place. With the pot thus connected to the hood by the actuator linkage 8|, the linkage is adjusted so that with the pot retracted, the hood is retracted. Upon movement of the pot toward the mold disk, the post, acting through the spring I05 and then through the link 83, resiliently drives the hood out of the recess forward and downward until the lower forward edge of the front wall of the hood engages the upper surface of the first-elevator jaw II.

The stop 19 for the hood is so adjusted that the top wall 51 of the hood, in its retracted position, is approximately vertical and spaced forward of the curved rearward wall of the shield 39. In the right-hand end of the shield (as V viewed from the front of the machine) is a notch I01 located rearward of the retracted position of the top wall of the hood. This notch is provided to allow for full forward movement of a line transfer arm (not shown) of the Linotype machine in delivering a line of matrices and spacebands to the first-elevator law. A vertical shield plate I09 may be mounted on the right-hand end of the shield to fill the space in the frame of the machine at the right of the guard, if desired. This is not essential.

The right-hand end wall 63 of the hood 3'! is formed with a projection Ill extending beyond r the lower margin of the front wall 55 of the hood.

Rearward of this projection is a notch H3 for accommodating an upwardly extending part (not shown) on the first-elevator jaw when the hood is in its operative position, and particularly when the first-elevator jaw is in position for casting a blank line. The projection III is provided to cover an opening in the adjacent end of the firstelevator jaw when the hood is in operative position to prevent any squirting toward the linotype operator through this opening.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 6, the bottom of the flange of the hood may have a coded moldindicating scale H5 inscribed thereon. This scale is visible to the operator from the front of the machine when the hood is in retracted position. On each mold is an index mark I ll, which may be erased, for cooperation with the scale to indicate which of the four molds on the mold disk is in use. When the pot and the hood are retracted, the mold in use is in vertical position at the right side of the mold disk, hidden from view. Under these circumstances, the index mark on the mold which is then uppermost is aligned with the line on the scale I I5 corresponding to the mold in use. For example, if the No. 3 mold is in use, the index mark on the uppermost mold will be aligned with the line marked 3 on the scale. The index marks on the molds may be erased and changed when difierent mold 715 liners are used.

In the operation of the machine, during each of its casting cycles, the pot I1 moves forward from its retracted position until the mouthpiece 29 engages the mold 5 on the mold disk 3. As it moves forward, the 'post 99 compresses spring I05 and thus swings the hood 3i forward out of its recess 41 in the shield 38. A slight lost motion occurring between initial forward movement of the pot and pivotal movement of the hood, due in part to the resilience of the post and in part to its initial action in compressing the spring, allows the transfer long finger of the machine to move clear of the hood, so that the latter may swing out of the recess without striking this finger. The hood swings downward until the lower margin of its front wall engages the first-elevator jaw. This determines the operative position of the hood, with the latter covering the line of matrices and spacebands in casting position for the casting operation.

The hood remains immovably in operative position while the pot is retracted for the second justification, due to the lost motion in the actuator linkage and the compression of the spring I05, and, as the pot returns to casting position, is forced by the spring into tight engagement with the first-elevator jaw above the matrices and spacebands in the mold. The guard, with the hood in operative position, completely protects the linotype operator from any type metal that may spurt upward due to faulty lock-up or other causes. When the pot returns to its retracted position after the casting operation, the hood returns to its retracted position in the recess in the shield. If the pot has an unusually long stroke, it may complete its return movement even after the hood has come into engagement with the stop 79 because of the lost motion in the actuator linkage and the resilience of the post 99.

The lost-motion spring actuator linkage also has the important function of allowing for operation of the hood with the first-elevator jaw in any of the three different elevation which it may assume for selectively casting a roman line, an

casting an italic or blank line, the pot may still make its full stroke, even though the hood cannot swing as far as when casting a roman line, the diiference in the swing of the hood being taken up in the spring I05.

The lost-motion spring actuator linkage further has the important function of allowing the hood to be swung back into the recess of the shield by the elevator independently of the pot if the latter for some reason should fail fully to return to its retracted position. It will be understood that after the casting operation the elevator moves upward for matrix and spaceband transfer purposes. Under circumstances where the pot does not fully return to retracted position before the elevator moves upward, the elevator swings the hood up and back into the recess in the shield against the compression of spring I05. The hood is readily removable for cleaning purposes simply by turning the screw 95 of the actuator linkage to withdraw it completely from the clevis 81 and The stroke of the pot and 6 then withdrawing the hinge pin 13. The screw as is also readily adjustable upon installation of the guard for properly positioning the parts.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a type casting apparatus having a pot for molten type metal inovable between a rearward retracted position and a forward position in engagement with a mold holding a line of matrices and spacebands, a squirt guard comprising a shield fixed to the frame of the apparatus above and rearward of the mold, said shield comprising a plate generally of C-shape in section defining a forwardly opening horizontal recess and having a vertical flange at its forward upper edge attached to said frame, a hood comprising an open-bottomed housing having top, front, rear and end walls and a flange extending rearward from the lower margin of its rear wall, said hood being pivoted for swinging movement between a retracted position within the recess with its open bottom directed forward and an operative position covering the matrices and spacebands with its open bottom directed downward by means of a hinge connection between the flange on the hood and the lower margin of the shield, a post fixed to and extending upward from the pot, a link pivotally connected to the hood at one end thereof and extending rearward through an aperture in the shield and through an aperture in the upper end of the post, said link having a head on its rearward end, and a coil compression spring surrounding the link between the post and an abutment on the link forward of the post.

2. A squirt guard comprising a shield consisting of a generally c-shaped plate adapted for attachment to type casting apparatus with the recess defined by the plate extending horizontally and opening forward, an open-bottomed hood having top, front, rear and end walls and a flange extending rearward from the lower margin of the rear wall, said hood having its flange pivotally connected to the lower margin of the shield so that its is swingable between a retracted position within the recess with its open bottom directed forward and an operative position out of the recess with its open bottom directed downward, a link comprising a socket pivotally connected to the hood and a screw adjustably and removably threaded in the socket and extending rearward therefrom through a slot in the shield, a member adapted for attachment to the pot of the type casting apparatus and slidable on the screw rearward of the shield, and a coil compression spring surrounding the screw between said member and the socket.

JOEL N. BONKRUD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 

